Crossover signals legislative goals
This week the Legislature returned to the Statehouse after not being in session last week so members could visit town meetings and connect with constituents within their districts. We’re halfway through the 2023 legislative session and we’ve passed some significant legislation in these first two months.
Work on our key priorities will continue, across the House and in collaboration with the Senate, as we debate bills and consider investments prior to an anticipated May adjournment.
The crossover deadline for policy bills is the end of this legislative week and next week for money bills. Crossover is the last day for a bill to pass out of the chamber in which it was introduced and move forward for consideration in the other chamber.
Typically, it is an early indication of a bill’s viability if it makes it to the opposite chamber by crossover. However, some language from bills that do not meet the deadline is sometimes tacked onto similar bills that have been introduced by the opposite chamber. The House Government Operations and Military Affairs committee has six bills on its agenda this week for possible mark-up and vote.
Here’s a brief look at some of the bills on this week’s agenda:
One bill looks to update the alcoholic cider definition, increase the number of fourth-class licenses the holder of a manufacturer or rectifier license may acquire and continue the sale of alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption, which is set to sunset in July. Increasing the number of fourth-class licenses would allow manufacturers to attend more farmers markets and festivals. This bill would increase this number from 10 to 20 fourth-class licenses.
H.270, an act relating to miscellaneous amendments to the adult-use and medical cannabis programs, looks to make control board adjustments, increase the amount of THC within a single packaged product, adjust language around licenses for cultivators, wholesalers, product manufacturers and retailers, provisions to registered patients or caregivers, and more.
This bill would increase the amount of THC to 100 milligrams, which would align Vermont with other regulated states and reduce packaging costs and waste. It’s important to note that this aspect of the bill does not refer to potency, but rather how many items a single package may hold.
H.125, an act relating to boards and commissions, looks to create a summer government accountability committee to reexamine the principle of government accountability within the legislative branch. The Legislature often creates boards and commissions to study a topic before introducing legislation. This summer committee will sift through those that have been created, ensure they are on track, and sunset those that are no longer needed.
